We've noticed a lot of chatter about finding a new way to talk about what we're passionate about. We all want a value proposition that works to create support for the arts.

We followed the long exchange on the artsjournal pages and noticed that Michael Kaiser put it on his wish list for the holidays. And of course, this conversation is designed to answer the question:  how do we make the case for supporting the arts in 2010? What is the message that works with private sector supporters?

We understand this interest—and we share it. My blogs this week will offer a research-based answer.

Everyone is feeling the pinch of the recession. In our small community in Northeastern North Carolina, as well as the rest of the nation, we are faced daily with headlines of higher unemployment and other general discouraging news. We’ve lost hundreds of jobs in the paper and automotive industries, banking and tourism industries have been severely impacted, and we hear of increasing numbers of our people needing assistance from food banks in our region. That said, in North Carolina, a gradual shift is taking place as we once again reinvent ourselves to face the new global economy–an economy where creativity and innovation will provide the competitive edge to our future global competitiveness.  

The increasing globalisation and interconnectedness of our societies and our economies means that the trends here in the UK and those in US are not wholly different from each other. Consumers on both sides of the Atlantic are becoming increasingly demanding, culturally literate and media savvy. To engage with such customers and to retain their loyalty, businesses must create meaningful consumer experiences which, in turn, require those businesses to be more authentic, trustworthy and transparent.

This, we believe, is changing the nature and scope of the relationship between the private sector and the arts. The appetite within businesses in the UK to engage with the arts is still strong, as they recognise both the direct and indirect benefits of doing so (cultural attendances increased by 12% in 08/09), although obviously the financial level at which they are able to commit is being challenged by the current economy climate (with a decrease of 6% in business investment to the arts in 08/09).

To maintain this, however, we need to continually explore new ways in which the business and arts sectors can work together.

This debate is very timely.

Here in the UK we are rapidly approaching a General Election in which the overarching theme is likely to be how and where the next government makes the cuts necessary in public expenditure to balance the budget. For the arts, the impending cuts have led to a growing debate about how the private sector can play an even more significant role and, in doing so, fill the resulting funding gap. Only a few days ago, the leading opposition party called for the arts in the UK to look across to the US and adopt their approach of endowment funding. But while we look to you, one imagines many US arts organisations are looking back to us in envy at the perceived level of public funding of the arts here.

The Cultural Alliance of York’s campaign has been active since the beginning of January. Our increases are coming from our Marquis Society, a leadership giving initiative. The corporate contributions remain flat or decreased/declined. Since the alliance began as a corporate United Arts Fund, we are so glad we slowly moved to leadership giving.

We began the Marquis initiative after a few individuals wanted to donate early on when we were strictly a corporate ask and our partner agencies said “take the money.” Over the past few years, as our corporate CEO’s retired, the notion of a place for them to continue giving to our campaign turned into leadership giving.

As the late Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill said famously, “all politics are local.” Could this be a lesson for the arts sector? I was interested in a recent article in The New York Times on February 17th about the formidable Huntington Theater in Boston which is charting a new course to become more relevant to its neighbors. Artistic Director, Peter DuBois noted – “The fact is, the artistic and business models of the regional theaters in the 20th century are over, given the costs of creating theater and the competition for people’s time, so I needed to rethink our relationship with our home community.  To thrive we need a theater with work and audiences that look more like the city of Boston in terms of class, age, race, background. And you have to talk to people here to learn how to do that.”

Maybe that’s our answer for this arts-challenged time, listen first, then talk and make sure you speak the local dialect.